Trustees make a response on land-sales issue

Ben O’Connell

The trustees of a community building in Belford have issued a response after discussions at last month’s parish-council meeting.

Belford and District Village War Memorial Hall, which houses the Community Club/Skinners Arms, has ‘an extremely bad infestation of dry rot’ and damp, with repair costs unknown at this stage but likely to run to tens of thousands of pounds.

As we reported last week, it was discussed at the November meeting of Belford Parish Council at which members felt that a number of questions needed answering.

But concern has been expressed at a comment made by Coun Reg Carruthers, which questioned what had happened to the money received after some areas of land were sold some years back.

Following this, the trustees have released a statement, which says: ‘Following the report from the Belford Parish Council meeting which appears in [the November 24] edition of the Northumberland Gazette, the trustees of the Belford and District Village War Memorial Hall would like to clearly state that all money which was raised in the past as a result of the land, which was owned by the Community Club, being sold was paid directly to the Community Club.

‘None of the money was paid to the trustees and as such they are unable to comment on how the money was spent.’

Chairman of the trustees, Stuart Reay, also told the Gazette that he is planning to attend the December meeting of the parish council to discuss the matter.

At the meeting a fortnight ago, parish councillors had said they were keen to get someone to come to a future meeting.